Darcy goes Down
by Miss Pennyfeather
Summary: A modern Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's point of view. Slightly bit inspired by Igby goes Down, but very little. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi there, new story I was thinking of writing and finally did. So, changed a few things, but the most notable one I guess is that Georgiana is older than Darcy. Hope you don't mind. Anyway, thanks for reading. **_

My mom and dad were about to divorce, sooner than you can say lawsuit. You see, dad had managed to squander most of the Darcy fortune on some illusory marketing schemes that had gone downhill. His plan was meant to bring back the noblesse to the Darcy name. My great-great-grandfather, Fitzwilliam, used to own an incredible fortune and was a gentleman – which meant he never worked, lived on his inheritance and pursued his studies and pleasures. Dad was obsessed with this mystical, bourgeois figure of the past, had always been actually. Before his big flunk, we lived fairly well. We weren't too rich or too poor, my mom could afford occasional facials and I could take a smoke or two. It's not that he wasn't well intentioned or clever. He wasn't even naïve. But dad just underestimated the power of money.

Safe to say, we had to sell the elegant, comfortable house and settle for an apartment. Dad was far too depressed to do anything else after his failure and sank his misery in poorly written monologues (he had always dreamt of being a writer) and cheap wine. It was mom who managed to find a position, in the Bingley company.

Luckily, we had good friends, well – good connections. The Bingleys were a family full of billionaire yuppies and socially challenged _femmes fatales_. Rick Bingley was my dad's old mate from college and _faithful_ friend throughout the years. When he heard we were in a rut, he offered mom a much needed job as a consultant. Though mom had studied the Law she was probably the most unfit person to work there, in that position. But Rick was apparently ready to make the sacrifice.

Me, I wasn't really fond of him. I didn't really get his motives, though I suspected he secretly fancied my mother and wanted her to be the new Mrs. Bingley. He was divorced, mom was about to do the same thing so…quite perfect.

The only person in the family I took to was my friend, Charlie Bingley. He was nothing like his sleazy dad and he was a decent fellow, though not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

We went to the same prep school; Green Leaf College.

Nothing changed between us, to be frank. We were still the same best mates, still smoking on the rooftop and making stupid plans of driving across the country and quitting the lousy jobs we'd have but we didn't really take ourselves seriously.

Charlie wanted to act like nothing had changed; but for me everything became slightly grey. Money had always been there, behind me, holding my back, keeping me high. It was one of those dirty values that made me feel better. And I knew those people who proclaimed money was degrading, immoral and all that crap just didn't know what they were talking about. They hadn't experienced a fall. I was raised to be someone and now I had to be different. The hell with that. I'd still act the part. At least at school. No one needed to know I was affected.

* * *

Green Leaf College was 100 miles away from home. I knew mom needed me for moral support and I knew I was probably leaving her defenseless against dad, but I was glad to get away. Dad would eventually leave and mom would eventually move on. And I would come home with a diploma, eventually.

Charlie and I took the train. We always did. We loved trains and we hated planes. Other than that, we had nothing in common.

'My aunt and Caroline are already there. They're shopping for school outfits, if you can believe that,' Charlie told me on the train. 'She burnt up the clothes dad bought for her. Said they're filthy, like him.'

I knew Caroline. I knew her type. I was drawn to her type. Cold-hearted bitch with daddy issues. She had next to no personality, but she was a real sport. Last winter holiday we went skiing together. She tripped, hurt herself badly, I carried her to the hotel and we made out a bit on her bed. I left before she did something stupid. But ever since then, she's had it in her mind that I have designs on her. Maybe it was my fault. Yes, it was my fault. But women generally blow things out of proportion.

'I don't think I can pay tuition for next semester,' I muttered, biting into my sandwich.

Charlie threw me a serious look, trying to see if I was joking.

'Can't be that bad…I mean you guys still have your savings.'

'Don't be a wuss. I'll have to go see Aunt Catherine again and beg her for some dough. I've always been her favourite, don't you think?'

'Mrs. de Bourgh? You must really prize your education,' Charlie said chuckling. 'That woman called my father a bobbling coxcomb. Who talks like that anymore?'

'Don't tell me you were offended.'

'No, but he was. Don't let him find out you're going to ask your aunt for help. He'll go ballistic.'

'Yeah, my soon to be step-dad wouldn't like that.'

Charlie grimaced but didn't say anything.

'You're coming to the wedding, right? You're not leaving me alone there,' he spoke at length.

Cecily, his older sister was getting married to a big, important judge.

'I wouldn't miss the most ridiculous event of the year,' I replied.

When we arrived at the station, Georgiana was there to welcome me. She had promised to come see me before school, at least for a day.

Mom had forbidden me to call her my sister ever since she had run away when she was fifteen. She married some douche called George Wickham who worked in real estate but dreamt of being an artist. He was twenty-five back then. Georgiana literally married him because they shared the same name and because they both liked the White Stripes.

Needless to say, mom flipped, dad disinherited her and George cleared out after taking most of her money. I guess Georgiana was never the same. She became a librarian but she never came home again. She only liked seeing me. Maybe because I didn't really judge her out loud.

'Hey there, soldier,' she said giving me a big hug. 'Out of prison I gather?'

'Yeah and going to another one.'

'Hey Charlie. Haven't seen you in three years. You've grown taller,' she said waving at him. Charlie always got pretty nervous around my sister. He never found anything to say around her.

'How is your dad holding up? Does he still consider me a little cunt?'

'He doesn't mention you,' he said absently, feeling rather awkward.

We all went to eat somewhere near the campus. Georgiana paid.

'Is dad still living on Valium?' she asked as she poured herself some tea.

'Sleeping pills.'

'Oh, okay… as long as he doesn't kill himself. What do you think about this mess?'

'Nothing. I just miss the old house, the old pool, the old tennis court we had in the basement and…'

'You're such a materialistic pig,' she chided me laughing. 'You're so going to the ninth circle of hell.'

'I'll find you there, I won't be lonely.'

She kicked me under the table, like she always did when she wanted me to stay with her longer.

'You know, Will, I think this rather unexpected event is fortunate for you. Maybe now you'll stop being a stuck up prick,' she said sipping from her cup. 'You'll discover the real value of life and become a humble, hardworking young man.'

'No, I'm pretty much safe on that side. I wouldn't go to such lengths as to punish myself.'

'And you Charlie, what are your plans for the school year?'

Charlie was playing with his spaghetti. He was thinking hard for an intelligent answer.

'I want to pass physics for a change. I just want to graduate…get out of there,' he mumbled.

* * *

Two hours later, we were already unpacking in our dorms at Green Leaf, alone, with the sound of voices and zippers in the air.

'She's just my sister, a girl, not some high-tech machinery, you pansy. Stop acting like a third-grader around her,' I told him throwing him his tennis ball.

Our room was filled with posters of sportsmen and writers we didn't know. We kept them up for appearance's sake. There was a huge fan we had placed next to the door. The heat was unbearable. The wardrobes were open and moats of dust rolled out of them constantly. The floor was filled with books and magazines.

Green Leaf was a massive building, built around the nineteenth century; at first a church but latter expanded into a school. It had four large dorms – two for the boys, two for the girls and one squat building for classes. There was also the chapel and the cafeteria, the gym and the courts.

The school's annual booklet was on my desk, open at the tuition page.

'I'm not acting like anything, she's intimidating. She's always got something to say about my father. What am I supposed to tell her? Yes, Georgiana, my dad thinks you're a huge harlot?'

'Easy there, talking about my sister.'

'I'm not the one calling her that,' he said throwing the ball back at me.

'But you would, wouldn't you?'

He didn't answer. Instead he pushed his empty suitcase under the bed and cleared out his desk.

'This room is a mess.'

'Just like we left it,' I said throwing myself on the bed.

'Thing is, now that I'm on the roughs, I have to actually make an effort for my grades.'

'God forbid you ever did that,' Charlie said laughing. 'I'd really hold it against you.'

'I would too…' I said looking at the ceiling. 'Why didn't we pay more on insurance? I'm starting to regret that.'

'Don't get all mushy on me now,' he said faking distress. The Bingleys owned two insurance companies.

'You have nothing to worry about, you dumbass,' I told him.

'Oh yeah…I'm in paradise. Soon as I graduate I'm moving to San Tropez and God dammit I'm staying there for ever,' he said playing with his lighter. 'What about you?'

'I'll probably move in with my sister, I hope.'

'You think she'll let you?'

'No. Probably not. I'll make some money. That'll take my mind off things.'

'You don't even know what you're talking about,' Charlie said dryly.

'At least I'm talking about something.'

'Think dad will marry your mom?'

I nodded without replying.

'Think that would be disturbing?'

'Caroline would be my sister. And suddenly the affair takes a very perverse note.'

He threw his pillow on my head. 'You ass.'

I kicked him in the shin and he fell out of the bed. He stayed there on the floor, looking over the scattered magazines.

'Hey, Will.'

'Yeah?'

'This room is a mess.'


	2. Chapter 2

_**New chapter up. Thanks ChinaTown for the kind review. **_**_So please read and review. Thanks. _**

Green Leaf academy always held a beginning of the year party for all new students joining the esteemed institution, so they could get a taste of what life at this school was.

It was a good opportunity for Charlie and me to intimidate a bunch of prissy boys and make fun of the very mature and willing 15 year old girls who always had this fake nonchalance around them, but secretly hunted the people with the shiny credit cards.

It would be a boring little gathering this year, for me at least. Painful in its formalities and depressing in its check with reality, it reminded me I no longer had the power to give people crap. Not as much as I wished to anyway.

The beginning ceremony started in the chapel after which the official dinner would take place in the cafeteria and finally the students' main hall was improvised into a dancing ring and all students could finally interact. There was dull music, no alcohol, but we could smoke if we managed to get to the fire exit without being seen, but I preferred the spot behind the gym.

Charlie was such a nice, open guy sometimes that he easily made friends, even if his real intentions weren't as honourable. He always got a pathetic girlfriend from the new girls and only kept her for two weeks or so, enough to drive me crazy and to satisfy his curiosity.

And he picked some real study subjects, for sure. His tastes in women were appalling, but I was not the one to comment.

Early that day I had to talk to the administration office about my tuition and my current…financial situation. I was ready to apply for a scholarship and make it public, but of course formalities never ended. They actually thought I was trying to use the old trick and save my rich family some money, when other poverty-stricken gifted children had no means of ever enjoying the privilege of attending Green Leaf.

They wanted to check my family's account first, they would not believe me. My reputation indeed wasn't a thing to take into consideration when making this decision. They would tell me by the end of the week and until then I had to keep my frustrations all to myself.

That afternoon I was alone in the dorm when someone knocked at the door ostentatiously. I was reading and I hated being disturbed so I tried ignoring whoever it was, but the person persisted, probably knowing my habits.

I opened the door and there she was: Caroline.

'Wiiiiiill!' she meowed and let herself in pushing past me. 'Lovely of you to welcome me so eagerly.'

She was wearing her school uniform; white blouse, green skirt and high black heels. What am I saying? This was more like a striper's outfit. Not that there was much of a difference.

'You look well,' she said sitting down on my bed, legs crossed. 'I missed you this summer. We all did.'

'Well, I didn't Caroline,' I said walking past her and putting the book back in a drawer.

'Don't I look well too?' she said raising an eyebrow.

'If you came here to ask me something about your looks…' I started.

'You didn't even call or write. I must say I was disappointed,' she said faking distress as she placed her leg between mine.

'What do you want?'

She licked her lips and grinned innocently.

'You know, I heard about your tragic misfortune and…I just wanted you to know that my…admiration for you has not changed. With or without money you are still very interesting,' she said tracing her fingers on my shirt.

I removed her hands and raised an eyebrow annoyed.

'Get off my bed and scram Caroline, I'm busy.'

She frowned displeased and started playing with the hems of her skirt.

'Given your current situation, it would not be wise to reject me like this, would it?'

'Caroline darling, you know I've always appreciated the spoilt bitch in you. It is, after all, your only charm. But you don't need to beg.'

She got up and tried slapping me across the face but I caught her hand just in time.

She smiled and closed the distance between us, kissing me. I didn't respond at first, but she could be damn persuasive. We continued like this for a while, until Charlie interrupted us, bursting in the room. Caroline cursed under her breath, but quickly got herself together and rushed out of the room.

Charlie looked after her for a while, before turning to me.

'Are you screwing my sister?'

'Not a chance.'

'Thought so…'

No, I wouldn't screw around with her.

Charlie and I picked up some strategic seats in the hall so we could watch everybody but not be seen by many. The music was awful to say the least and the bar had the shittiest drinks. But we had Fred for these inconveniences. Fred was our senior friend and the basketball captain and he could usually get us what we needed, when we needed it.

He was famed for bringing alcohol in the school, in the form of harmless beverages, such as ice teas and coca colas. I was certain some of the teachers knew about it, but let it pass because he only did business with older students. His father was one of the biggest liquor producers in the country. Like father like son. He joined our table not before long.

'The white meat looks fresh,' he said giving us his flask of vodka. 'But they don't make'em like they used to.'

The freshmen were a sea of uninteresting, washed pale faces. Everybody was dancing and talking but you could only hear a depressive buzzing. All the tables were occupied by seniors or sophomores like us.

The headmaster of the school and the high chancellor were sitting at a festive table with some teachers at the top of the hall, under the portraits of famous students, teachers and investors. They all looked in pain at being there, in that badly lit hall, with too many people, too much noise, not to mention tedious and uninteresting conversation they had to share.

I saw Caroline dancing with a freshman and she waved at me when she caught me staring. I ignored her.

'Stop looking at Caroline. There are finer ladies,' Charlie commented laughing. After a couple of drinks he got tipsy enough to let himself go a bit.

So as usual he went in search of a partner to dance with. I decided to go out for a smoke.

When I came back I already found him wrapped around a tall blonde girl, fairly good looking.

'How does he do it? He goes out there and gets the best looking girl when he's just a stupid wanker?' Fred commented annoyed.

'Wealthy stupid wanker,' I added.

After he danced four times with her he didn't bother to come back, he just followed her to God knew where; probably to some insipid friends that he'd dance with as well.

After an hour or so I was getting pretty annoyed. I walked around the room looking at the people dancing. I loved watching people, observing them.

I noticed two girls dancing like wild around four guys who clearly felt uncomfortable. Another one came for them and dragged them out of there. I followed them amused and discovered they were sitting in a corner where Charlie was talking with that blonde girl.

I wanted to make my way back, but Charlie saw me and waved at me, expecting me to come there.

'Darcy! Come here old sport!'

Good God, he spilled out the most imbecilic things when he was drunk.

'Ladies, this is my good friend and best mate, Will Darcy,' he said introducing me to the four girls.

'This is Jane Bennet, the prettiest girl I've ever seen in my life,' he said kissing the blonde girl's hand. She blushed embarrassed.

'That's nonsense Charlie.'

'Even Will here, who's a bit picky, can agree. This is Jane's sister, Eliza and their two friends Kathy and Marianne…oh sorry, Mary,' he continued showing me each and every one of them.

I took a good look at them and summed up my impression; scholarship girls. All students coming from lower middle-class families that had got a scholarship knew each other and were friends. It was their own intellectual society.

'Blow me if I miss this song,' Charlie suddenly exclaimed and pulled Jane on the dance floor again. 'See you later Darcy.'

I looked around and saw that the other two girls had left again and that girl, Eliza I think, was still sitting there, watching me.

'Your friend is very… energetic,' she suddenly said.

'That's one way of putting it. He's slightly drunk.'

'Drunk? There's no alcohol served at the bar.'

I didn't reply.

'The school doesn't allow alcohol on its grounds,' she added. I rolled my eyes.

'I smell smoke…you smoke?' she asked.

'Yes.'

'That's not allowed either, supposedly.'

'Are you going to recite all the school rules or are you just doing this for fun?' I replied getting tired of her.

'For fun I guess. So do you smoke and drink to seem cooler and more mature?'

'Do you ask these stupid questions to seem intellectually misunderstood and interesting?'

She opened her mouth to reply but didn't say anything. She half-smiled and extended her hand.

'I'm Eliza.'

I nodded curtly. Seeing as I was not going to shake her hand or anything she smiled and turned away.

Good riddance. Bloody environmentalists are everywhere these days.

I went back to my seat and watched Charlie make a fool of himself with that Jane girl. Fred brought a couple of girls at our table and I started saying my stupid, dry jokes. The dumb tarts laughed at every one of them. One of them sat in my lap as we played cards. She always whispered daft things to me, but I ignored it.

At length, Charlie returned and most of the girls left. He was exhausted.

'You fuckwit. One fine arse and you forget all about us,' Fred spat out punching him.

We all went out for a smoke.

'She's so fucking beautiful, it's almost distracting. But before you say anything, cuz I know you want to, I'll have you know she's smart, kind, adorable and pretty much perfect,' Charlie told me.

'You mean that Jane girl? I have to give you credit for the looks.'

'Why didn't you take up her sister for a dance? She isn't half bad…she's that sort of brunette girl you're into. What was her name?'

'Eliza?' I asked chuckling. 'No thanks. She's a self-righteous brat. Not even if she was really good looking would she tempt me.'

'Well I'm not sharing Jane. She's the pearl in a sea of oysters,' he said smiling goofily.

'Save me the eulogy.'

'Good God, I might be in love.'

'It's just the vodka.'

As we turned the corner I saw two familiar faces and only afterwards I realized it was Eliza and one of her friends. They walked past us but I was pretty much convinced they had heard everything, judging from her not-so-friendly expression.

Well, so much for the better.

When we went back inside we found our table occupied and we couldn't spot Fred anywhere. He was supposed to save us seats. The bastard had deserted us.

Charlie found his Jane and I tried finding an empty seat. It was easier to find that blonde girl than a chair, honestly.

Caroline waved at me from her table but I quickly made a dash towards the opposite end of the room.

In the end, I sat by the bar, talking to one of the caterers there, a thirty something redhead. She was fairly interesting. She also gave me the name of the hotel she was staying at and the room number. I promised I'd come.

All the while I was looking towards the dance floor. I recognized Eliza dancing close by, but her partner shocked me. It was Fred of all people. They were laughing and talking and he was playing with her hair and the image quite annoyed me.

The night ended in me walking the thirty year old woman home. The hotel was shabby and the rooms were crammed and stuffy, but that didn't matter since I stopped thinking after a while. I left her room around five in the morning.

When I returned the courts and the dorms were eerily silent. The party always lasted until three so I supposed everyone was sleeping.

As I slipped into my dorm I saw someone sitting on the steps of the girls' dorm. She was holding a cup of coffee and she was still wearing her dress. It was Eliza.

In the morning light, she was pretty.


	3. Chapter 3

_**So this is the new chapter. Please tell me what you think. Some constructive criticism would be welcome. Thanks to Maria for her wonderful review, I appreciate it and glad you like it. Enjoy. **_

_When the garden flowers baby are dead yes  
and your mind is full of red  
don't you want somebody to love?_

Jefferson Airplane – Somebody to love

* * *

My uncle used to say life is full of surprises and you have to be ready to be surprised. Now, I've lived my life with many ups and downs, but it never came down to this, this one bare fact: we need money.

It's my truth and it's a truth that hurts in the gut, because pride makes you crave money. You can only feed this kind of pride with money. Nothing could satiate me.

I didn't want to buy things, eat expensive food or wear Hugo Boss. I wanted money to make me feel royalty in the eyes of everyone, even if I was the biggest scum that my mother ever gave birth to. And I _was_ the biggest scum that my mother ever gave birth to.

But you know – there's something so serene about being a scum. No one can make me feel worse or better, I'm just a scum.

Class went slow, slow, slow. The blinds were drawn so you couldn't look outside. It was raining hard and it was half-dark. The Spanish teacher was holding her book on her lap and her knees were trembling. She was new and she was being judged. She had come from Arizona. We didn't appreciate that a whole lot and I think she understood that from the looks we were throwing her. She tried joking bout our stiff uniforms and chapel rules but we didn't see those things as funny at all, so all she did was embarrass herself uselessly.

She wore too much makeup, trying to hide her imperfections. She smiled at me graciously.

'This is not to say it's not an honour to teach here…I've never had such involved students before, eager to study,' she kept excusing herself.

I was rolling some paper in my hands. I never made airplanes. Charlie was browsing through his Spanish textbook, wasting time. He was in love with a Spanish girl on page fourteen; she was sleeping inside a moon. The first few days always went too slow for my taste.

'Spanish poetry has finery to it that very few can actually taste,' she said.

I wanted to catch this fly that kept flying around my head. I was lost in my love for myself, if there was such a thing.

The corridors were filled with silent people, dragging their little belongings as if a great big war would break any moment now. I wanted these girls to cry for me; with their pretty ribbons drowned in the puddle of their tears. I wanted their concealed faces to break, congested with sufferance for me. They'd line up at my room and beg to see me and when they did they'd jump in my arms and I'd feel their cotton knickers and they'd just look at my eyes and resist doing anything else.

Many girls liked me, but I just couldn't like them. I don't know why. I hoped I wasn't sexually challenged. That's crap really.

There was a redhead, eyeing me, grinning, saying something important. I'd pick her hand and kiss it cordially. But she'd never see me again. She'd only remember my name and my smell. That was all.

Charlie kept everything in his heart. That's why he wore it on his sleeve. He loved a lot of women and men, but was he really loved in return? He cherished the feeling so much, he forgot about the person.

He always touched my shoulder as if I was the one thing that was missing in his life. I was right next to him but he could never get to me. Not that I was complex. I was just someone else.

The soup in my bowl was drying out and I couldn't stop looking at Mrs. Higgins, our Latin teacher. She was gorgeous and she was fifty. She was fine wine and she was so helpless and so ruthless to the students. I didn't do my homework sometimes so she'd shout at me and make a tantrum and I'd be mad about her even more.

She was talking to a student and almost shouting I think, even if it was the cafeteria. She didn't like being disturbed when she was eating. And the girl was really not relenting at all, following her wherever she went.

I think it took me two seconds to recognize her, because she had haunted me in an image of a Starbucks cover girl.

Eliza was begging her, begging her for mercy, maybe for her grades, maybe for something else.

She was so disappointed and hopeless and her face was crumbling and I loved, loved the show so much that I kept watching even if everyone was trying not to look at them so as not to intrude.

Why shouldn't we look? We are made to be cruel to each other, watch ourselves naked and sloppy, black and scorched with flaws.

'Move along you silly girl,' Mrs. Higgins snapped upset. 'Don't bother me anymore with your nothings!'

Eliza was almost pulling at her coat. I gloated, I almost chuckled, I couldn't stop myself.

She was wearing her plain uniform and white sneakers, already dusty. Her hands were full of ballpoint pen marks and her eyes were yellow and I loved seeing her humiliated. I think because indirectly she had humiliated me.

The way she had looked at me, when she was on the steps that morning. Like she knew where I had gone, what I had done and like she was shouting "you ass, you total ass, you're the one crawling for a woman's shoe, you are so pathetic". That's what her look had said. Like I needed anything but myself, but the tranquility of a lonely mind.

And I know she didn't mean it. But I had insulted her and she had felt offended and she had thrown me that look. Hey, it's a free country – I can tell you whatever I want. Don't feel bad about it.

This wasn't anything like revenge. I just liked watching her become a little less proud. I didn't have anything against the kid. She was just there.

She was fidgeting and she was trying hard. In despair she cast her eyes around the room.

Oh, no, the perfect little student got her first C. What will the world say?

She looked at me. I nodded smiling and continued eating. She ran away, half-sobbing.

Or half-laughing?!

* * *

Caroline was smoking next to me. I was staring at her nakedness. She handed me fifty bucks.

'Use me,' she mumbled. 'I like it.'

'I will,' I said taking the money and stuffing it in my jeans.

My hand played on her flat stomach, making her giggle.

The window was wide open and the smoke was going out. I handed her some mint gum when she finished.

'Wouldn't want you to get caught.'

'I got caught before and nothing happened. Or do you want to kiss me?' she said raising herself and placing an elbow on my chest.

I kissed her forehead.

'Are you stupid?' she asked nonchalantly. 'I'm not a nun.'

I wanted to cry. She was pretty, but she was so horribly wrong about me, about everything.

'Are you going to go out with other girls? Because I won't stand for it.'

'Yes. I will screw and you will be screwed. Don't tell me you'll be faithful too,' I answered.

'I'll try hard not to fall into temptation,' she said grinning.

'Caroline, your legs will never close,' I replied mechanically.

She laughed so hard that the guy next to us beat his fist in the wall.

'Come with me next time we get a free pass. We'll see a movie,' she told me.

'Okay,' I said without thinking. 'I'll go with you.'

* * *

I started reciting my history lesson in maths class. Only after twenty minutes did I realize where I was and what class it was. They searched my room for drugs. I got a B at the maths test though. That should save me. It didn't. They're still searching. Apparently, I'm not right.

But I so am! Look guys, I'm not the troubled intellectual, so you can stop.

Mum wrote and said "I'm sending you a sweater, I heard there will be blizzards", but it was really hot outside, for October. The beginning of what was supposed to be a lovely friendship between me and the window I was sitting at, watching through my binoculars the world of the campus.

I saw a girl bending down and picking up a bug.

Charlie had deserted me for Jane and her wavy summer curls. He was really with her, I mean physically and even mentally. He was helping her with physics and kissing her and making her feel well – wanted. Even if he hated physics. She was captivating to him, every little gesture. He spent ten minutes describing to me the way she sits in her chair when they talk.

Is there a way to sit, a way to look, a way to feel to make the other person understand?

I doubt it, but sometimes, just sometimes you get the feeling you know what's in front of you. What she's made of.

I met Jane two times. She was happy to be with Charlie, but she didn't seem as ecstatic and infatuated as he did. She didn't seem anything. She held his hand and liked being looked at, but I don't think she wanted him around for an entire afternoon. Her eyes were like huge woolen balls.

Jane and Charlie sitting in a tree.

* * *

I went to the cinema with Caroline Saturday morning and she held her hands between my legs. It was so hard to watch anything, it was so hard to look at her. She was wearing no bra and she had showed me her white skin during the breaks.

I wanted to tell her she had a problem.

We went to eat something. I went to order, holding the menu in my sweaty hands. This time I looked over the prices. I never did.

I saw one girl at the table and it was her only she was being very nonchalant. She was sipping from a straw and popping fries in her mouth. It was a very fascinating process. Eliza was reading a magazine, I figured.

I couldn't help coming close to her table, since the row was close to her seat.

I thought I should say something. I just nodded towards her.

'Hi,' she intoned looking up. 'Darcy, right?'

'Bennet,' I stated.

'What are you doing here?'

'Date.'

'With who?'

'Doesn't matter,' I answered simply. 'You?'

'Doesn't matter,' she said smiling. 'Jane is with Charlie, so I'm alone.'

'I think I knew that,' I said put out by that bit.

'You're not the one to make conversation. Are you upset all the time?'

'What do you mean? I turned towards her a bit confused.

'I haven't seen you very pleased of anything.'

'You don't even know me.'

'I've watched you a bit around school.'

'Yeah, for a whole month!' I added sarcastically. I felt good somehow; she had watched me.

'Yep. And you're never really pleased. I see you displeased most of the time. Don't you feel grateful and stuff?'

'About what? Private education, good looks, tons of green paper?' I asked shaking my head.

'Living,' she answered simply.

'Don't you have anything better to do than make philosophically challenged statements?' I asked smiling.

'Yeah. Actually, I'm waiting for Fred to come back.'

Fred? Fred?

'You said you were here alone.'

'Yeah, I'm alone with him,' she explained.

Fred.

'I see. He's a swell fellow. Sure knows how to treat a girl,' I said gesturing at the fancy place.

'We've come here as friends.'

'Fred doesn't have female friends,' I replied simply.

'Well, he's starting now,' she said taking a bite from her steak. Her eyes were blue. I hadn't realized that before. It's like she was hiding them from me.

She was wearing an old sweater and black pants and she had a very cheap ring on a finger.

'You weren't very nice in the cafeteria that day…' she said looking around embarrassed.

'I didn't say anything. I didn't even look at you.'

'Yes you did. You gave me the hardest look. You smiled like you were enjoying it. You were so mean. I hated you for a minute there.'

'Hated me? Why the hell would you? I was just smiling. Was I smiling at you? How can you even tell my reasons for smiling?' I asked a bit anxious.

'You know why I was talking to her like that and begging her and following her?'

'No.'

'She had caught me smoking,' she said grinning. 'I was begging her not to rat on me.'

I think I twitched. I turned on my heels and left her for good.

I hated her for a minute there.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, everyone. I'm back with this story, hope no one's quit on it, because I'm still writing it! Thanks a lot all reviewers and readers, this chapter is for you (like all chapters!). Thanks a bunch to all anonymous reviewers: Maria, Graciela, MAB and agathe, you guys rock! And now on to the story. Don't forget to leave a comment. **

_She's got you high and you don't even know yet  
She's got you high and you don't even know yet  
The sun's in the sky, it's warming up your bare legs  
You can't deny you're looking for the sunset_

Mumm-Ra: She's got you High_

* * *

  
_

I'm beginning to think, not entirely without reason, that Caroline is using me because she thinks that my financial dilemma has turned me into a cheap Ken doll. I should be angry right about now and do something about it, like get her naked, then throw her out of my room so all my mates can see her, or play with her feelings and scar her emotionally for life, but right now I can't even sum up the energy to stick a piece of gum into her hair.

And that's downright depressing; when you lose your will to be evil, or just a prick anyway.

I guess that Bennet girl pissed me off because the whole smoking thing came as a giant slap in the face, but I won't despair in my anger towards humanity. I just hope I don't end up having to join her crowd of _scholarshippers_. That would be too cruel even for Green Leaf standards.

Charlie, the tosser, isn't being much of a help. He just sits there and daydreams about Jane and how her face should be plastered on all the walls of the school. I tried punching him, dissecting his brain and even begging him, he just won't stop. I'm beginning to think this Jane thing is getting serious.

And I don't really like this Jane because she has the emotional range of a spoon and she's not much of an interesting talker. As an added bonus, Caroline has taken a liking to her. She either needs a new minion or she just likes torturing people.

Much to my horror, I found out that Charlie had invited Jane to Cecily's wedding and that Caroline had agreed to this wonderful plan.

'I'm just happy my brother finally has a steady girlfriend and such a nice, sweet girl too!' she exclaimed all the time, as if Charlie was a hopeless sinner and Jane was Mother Theresa.

Meanwhile, the new Spanish teacher thought, in her immense naiveté, that I was on her side or something, just because I helped her with some texts in class. In actuality, my other mates were a bunch of idiots and since I had a functional brain and actually gave a damn, I got involved in her stupid class and now she thinks I am her pet dog Lassie. I wish I could tell her off, but she's too damn nice for her own good and you can't reason with a nice person, you just can't.

The other day, she stopped me in the hallway, for all to see, and she started talking to me about the drama club. I believe I didn't mention that Green Leaf had a wide range of extracurricular activities you could kill your joy time with. They also looked spot-on on the CV. One of these was the drama club, or should I say Dead Poets Society club, with the emphasis on dead, because there were only five people in this club and most of them were Julliard rejects or pricks that thought girls were into artsy, sensitive guys. Me, I thought this was an insult to drama and theatre in general.

But I digress. She asked me if I would like to be part of said drama club. She let me know that this year she would be in charge of this club. She seemed very happy and proud about it so I resisted the urge to tell her that only the teachers that were considered failures around here were in charge of that club. She seemed so generally keen about it that I was tempted to use this pathetic excuse to raise her hopes. Well, I sort of ran off, giving her some random excuse, but I think I should have been more blatant about my refusal.

I will next time – it's just those dopey eyes that get in the way.

* * *

Time flew by in no time and after five grueling weeks of school we finally dragged our arses back home to take part in the most glamorous event in Cecily's life ( because it would be the first time she would wear a decent dress: a wedding gown. But I was sure she could mess that up too if she tried a little.) She was a sloppy, tasteless woman, but not bad-intentioned if you got down to it. Although I think Caroline owed most of her obsessions to this woman.

And of course, blonde girl had to come with us. Yes, Jane. She was glued to Charlie like a damn sticky note. I could never have some privacy with my friend, she was always there, waving her honey-blonde hair and showing as much skin as possible as if to say "You don't stand a chance against a woman". And I didn't. Charlie was a love-sick puppy stuck to her heel.

Well, at least mum was in a good mood. Oh sure, most of the items in my room were gone, but I blamed that on menopause.

The wedding took place at this fancy restaurant, somewhere on the outskirts of town so they could have more privacy. They had these nice minigolf terrains and a small marsh they called a lake.

Needless to say, Caroline flaunted most of her ridiculous bridesmaids' dresses at me and even made me pick which one suited her best at which I replied:

'Why don't you take a potato sack and throw it over your head?'

And I think she's looking for a potato sack now.

The wedding reception was fine, I mean bearable by my standards and Cecily did look decent. The judge fellow (the groom) was drunk most of the ceremony or at least he looked that way. He did liven up at the reception when the band started playing Bee Gees songs. Big surprise there.

Then there were the awful and boring speeches from family and friends. Charlie gave a sad speech about how he never wanted Cecily to marry when he was a kid because then there'd be no one to play Scrabble with him and let him win anymore. Cecily was very touched by this and almost teared up. Had I been her, I would have tossed a bottle into Charlie's head. Then of course many tossers made jokes about Charlie and Jane and they all commented on how well endowed the new girlfriend was, not to mention she had caught the bride's bouquet which made her the _pivotal _subject of the evening.

Then everybody started dancing on _Lady in Red_, which made me barf into my own mouth.

By the end of the evening though something interesting did happen. Jane was found under a table apparently. Of course, at these weddings this wouldn't be a surprise, but she wasn't drunk; she was just feeling awful.

Yeah, I felt awful too at the wedding but I didn't curl up under a table. Well, leaving jokes aside, she was in a pretty bad shape and had to be taken to the hospital.

From there on, it was a mad circle from hell. It turns out she was allergic to shrimps and had come down with a weird stomach flu. My sleepless night consisted in following Charlie around the damn hospital and chewing on some tortillas from the vending machine.

Finally, the doctor came out and told us she would be alright in a couple of days or so. I said to myself "okay then, can we go home and sleep now?" but no…

Charlie considered her ward far too depressing, dirty and _realistic _so he insisted that she be taken to his house where she'd recover.

And because it was Wednesday, we would be going back to school next Monday, which meant dismal hours with my mum and her soap operas.

But I probably nag too much; it was fairly tolerable.

That is, until _she_ came. Jane's always concerned sister found out about the infamous stomach flu and allergy and called Charlie who agreed to let her come see her sister.

Good God, will relatives stop loving each other so much?

Well, anyway, she did come, pretty fast too. In less than a day she was accommodated at the Bingley's.

So now, with both Bennet sisters there, dinners at the Bingley house were turning into a sad Donna Reed show.

But let me get into further details…

* * *

After dinner, we all went and sat in the library and just wasted time, watching TV, playing cards and smoking Charlie's dad's cigars. And after spending time with her ill sister, Eliza joined us. Well, Charlie invited her, the wanker.

She found a seat next to a window and started reading. In fact, she didn't engage in conversation with us at all. That was a relief.

Caroline and Rob (that judge's younger brother) were playing cards and they started making fun of Eliza. Morons.

'You like reading more than playing Eliza?'

'Oh, no,' she answered looking up, 'I just don't like cards. But I like doing other things.'

'And which are those?' Caroline asked presumptuous.

'Taking a hike, listening to music…the usual,' she replied awkwardly.

'A hike? Well, how strange.'

'I like fresh air and it's lots of fun really, if you're careful.'

'I can't imagine hiking, really. I wouldn't be into that sort of thing,' Caroline commented laughing.

No, you wouldn't, because you can't even walk properly without tripping in those ridiculous heels.

Oops, I guess I said that out loud. Caroline gave me a look that just begged another nasty reply, but Eliza smiled at me which unnerved me a bit.

'So…Will,' Caroline started, seeking revenge probably, 'how's Georgiana doing?'

Oh, the bitch.

'She's alright, thanks,' I replied dryly.

'Is she still a librarian? It's a shame with all her talents she should amass to that. Had it not been for that failed relationships and your parents…'

I was about to jump out of my seat, but Eliza interrupted her.

'There's nothing wrong with being a librarian. It's a lovely job. My mum is a librarian and I think she's much happier than those chaps working in huge corporations. Plus, who wouldn't love to work in a place full of books?'

That seemed to shut Caroline up. She turned back to her game and I tried to control my deathly glares towards her.

Eliza just smiled peacefully to me again. Did she expect me to be grateful?

'So… Miss Lucas told me you were joining the drama club,' she suddenly addressed me.

'What?'

'You know, the Spanish teacher.'

'Oh, that. She misled you, I won't be joining too soon.'

'Why not?'

'I'm not a _total_ pansy.'

'Don't you appreciate good theatre?'

'There are many things I appreciate, good theatre being one of them. But that club never produces such a thing.'

'How would you know?'

'Trust me, I do.'

'Well…so you think I'm a pansy?'

'Excuse me?'

'I'm in the drama club, you know.'

'Oh.'

She looked at me expectant.

'I'm sorry, you want me to take the insult back?'

Charlie gave me a warning look, but I ignored him.

'No, but you could get to know people before you assume things. Or get to know our drama club for that matter.'

'Are you saying I'm prejudiced?'

'Maybe. But that's because you're proud,' she said matter-of-factly.

'Pride isn't always such a sin.'

'No, but the way you use it is not very flattering,' she replied, arching her eyebrow.

What was that supposed to mean? I acted "proud" because frankly I was surrounded by imbeciles. And she was quickly getting into that category. Although I couldn't quite place her there. There was something witty about her remarks and yeah that was just topping on a cake, but it still made me sort of curious.

'Explain, if you please,' I challenged her.

'You don't treat people well, because you think you are better than they are and while you might be right, you don't verify to find out if that's true.'

'And you've known me for how much time to summarize this?'

'I don't need to know you for an eternity to realize that…'

So, in her opinion, I was a spoilt brat who thought he was better than anyone else. Well, reality usually proved me right, unfortunately.

Fortunately, though, I didn't care about her opinion.

After that we didn't talk much, we just stayed out of our way, or at least she was doing a good job at avoiding me and I can't say I stuck around to find out more about her.

The following night, though, I bumped into her on the stairs. And for a couple of seconds I just stood there like a daft idiot looking at her Bugs Bunny pajamas and her messy bun. She also made these silly dimples, even if she was not smiling. How did she do that? She was holding a mug of something hot and she almost burnt me with it, but I wasn't about to shriek in her presence.

She didn't move either so we just stayed there on the steps, close to each other, as if we had this big secret to share. Eventually, I moved pass her and she whispered something like good night.

I wouldn't be very honest if I didn't admit I did sneak a glance back up. I can't resist girls in tight pants, I've got to see the behind. Yeah, call me a pig.

I guess I'd label Eliza as "cute", the nauseating kind of cute.

But beyond those two encounters, I was safe from Miss Judgmental and her rant.

By Saturday, Jane was feeling better and she even came down for dinner. Charlie acted as if it was 1776 all over again. The idiot.

When it was finally time to leave, I was too glad to get out of there. I don't mean to be a mean guy, but I don't like sick people, or their righteous sisters.

Of course, I'd probably still see her around school. Damn.


End file.
